Emergency shelters are often installed in or near houses and other structures to protect occupants from tornadoes, storms, intruders, and other dangers. Emergency shelters can be installed either below ground or above ground. Below ground shelters provide excellent protection from storms and other dangers, but they suffer from several problems including being difficult and costly to install, difficult to quickly access in emergencies, more prone to flooding from heavy rains and/or broken water lines, and sometimes difficult to exit when debris is blown over their doors. Properly-anchored above ground shelters also provide excellent protection from storms and other dangers, but do not suffer from many of the above-mentioned problems. However, conventional above ground shelters suffer from several problems too, including having outwardly swinging doors that can become blocked by debris or inwardly swinging doors that can be blown open in severe storms. Moreover, conventional above ground shelters rely on hinges for mounting their doors and for locking the doors, but hinges can be sheared off during severe storms and/or pried off by intruders, and can fail if struck by debris and/or can become stuck in their locked positions and thus prevent opening of their associated doors.